Dragon Ball Z: Universe 13
by darksaiyangoku
Summary: An alternate retelling of the Dragon Ball series, similar to DC's New 52. Origin stories of characters remain similar with some minor alterations. Storyline undergoes some changes, some minor and some major. Darker in tone compared to the Anime, OCs might make an appearance later on. Dragon Ball Z is owned by Akira Toriyama. Please support the official releases.
1. Prologue

Dragon Ball Z: Universe 13

Prologue: 12 years ago.

Covered in blood and feeling fatigued, Bardock took to the the skies. He soared higher and higher until he reached the very vacuum of space. There, he could see his former master's spaceship. Outside was the Galactic Emperor himself; Frieza! Bardock stared at him with disgust. Despite his devotion to the emperor, he was repaid by having his loved ones killed. His wife, his king and his friends were all gone in a flash. He could still remember the screams of agony that came out Gine's mouth. It was unbearable and he felt sick to his stomach. Nevertheless he confronted Frieza with rage in his eyes and ready for vengeance.

"Why? Why did you send Dodoria and his men to kill everyone?" he demanded. "Tora, Shugesh, Borgos , Fasha and even Gine. They're all dead because of your hand!"

Frieza's lips curled into a deadly smile. He had waited for this chance for so long.

"You mean you didn't know? How pathetic!" he laughed sadistically. An expression of disbelief appeared on Bardock's face. What the hell was Frieza talking about?

"You Saiyans were on my hit list for some time. You see, I was foretold that one day, a warrior shining in gold will kill me and crush my empire. I assumed it was referring to the legend of the Super Saiyan, am I right?" he spoke in a soft, yet scary, voice. Bardock's hand started to twitch, gathering energy to deliver a fatal blow straight to the tyrant.

"Looks like that day just arrived, you piece of crap! It's time we settled this; my fate, the fate of my son, Planet Vegeta, the innocent lives we took in your name and your life too, Frieza." He chuckled as a sphere of energy surrounded his hand. Once it was fully charged, the brave Saiyan sent it hurdling towards the emperor. However, unbeknownst to him, Frieza had already begun charging up his own energy attack, which easily absorbed Bardock's in an instant. All of the energy was focused on his finger and it grew larger until it was the size of a moon! With the flick of a finger the energy sphere hurdled towards Bardock and Planet Vegeta, completely annihilating them with nothing but an explosion in the wake. With his mission complete, Frieza laughed maniacally.

Minutes later a spaceship was seen flying into the Milky Way Galaxy. Inside the ship was a Saiyan baby, hair spiked up in all areas just like Bardock's. Little did he know, this boy carried a heavy fate, destined to become the champion of planet earth and one of the universe's greatest protectors. On our homeworld, we will come to know him as Son Goku!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Return of the Martial Arts Tournament.

Goku: a name that carried a great legacy. When he was 12, he had found his grandfather crushed to death by an unknown assassin and vowed to protect his home in order to repay for not being there to help. But that all changed when he met his first friend Bulma, a scientist who was on a hunt for the 7 magic Dragonballs, which would summon the Dragon, Shenron, to grant you your heart's desire. Throughout this dangerous quest, he was continuously hunted by the Demon King Piccolo, who sought to use Dragonballs for world domination and the extinction of humanity. Goku was never one to give and with the help of his friends, he had managed to defeat the creature. However, it had turned out that the evil king had a sired a son before his departure into the afterlife and he was ready to wreak havoc on humanity once again!

12 years later, Goku was happily married with his childhood sweetheart ChiChi and together they had a young boy, Gohan, named after Goku's dear old grandfather.

"Goku, have you heard about the Martial Arts Tournament?" ChiChi asked while he was training Gohan.

"It's back?" responded Goku.

"Yeah, apparently the last few were such big hits that they're bringing it back. However they're trying to globalise it so that anyone can now have a chance at competing."

"Awesome! Hey you should come and watch and bring Gohan if you can!"

Gohan leaped up into the air with joy.

"Can I mum? Please?" He begged with little puppy dog eyes.

"No. You're too young and besides, I thought you'd be able to use this time to study."

"Aww, no fair!" Gohan cried while pouting.

Goku sighed. Ever since he was born, ChiChi insisted that their son should have a normal childhood and shouldn't follow in the footsteps of being a hero like his father. Goku understood greatly but he also wanted his son to unlock his full potential and become a great fighter even if it meant not protecting the Earth like he did. Besides, it was one of the few things he could teach his son as Goku wasn't exactly the most academic of fathers.

3 days later, Goku got changed into his classic orange gi with his sensei's symbol on the back.

"Goku" ChiChi said as she woke Gohan from his nap. "I want you to be careful and make sure you take very good care of Gohan. Promise me that, ok?"

Goku looked at her and smiled into her eyes.

"I promise. I'll make sure both of us stay safe. See you soon." He declared as he kissed her on the forehead. Goku called out for Nimbus and they took to the skies in a matter of seconds. ChiChi looked up at the clouds and smiled. For the first time in her life, she had nothing to worry about.

The Martial Arts Tournament was going to be held in Tokyo this year and there were thousands of people attending this year from all over the world. Outside the ring were some familiar faces; Bulma, Yamcha, Krillin, Launch, Master Roshi, Oolong and Puar.

Out of everyone, Bulma was the most anxious. She hadn't seen Goku in years and couldn't wait to catch up on all the good memories they had together.

"Where in the world could he be?" she asked with a tint of red on her face.

Krillin then stepped in to reassure her.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon. Besides, he's never been the one to make early appearances."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She replied while calming down. The minutes that had passed seemed to go on forever until finally, Goku himself jumped out of the skies and landed like a cat.

"Hey guys! I'm back!" He greeted them. Everyone couldn't believe their eyes and smiles filled their faces.

"GOKU!" They all cheered while racing to hug him. It was then that they noticed Gohan in his arms.

"It's great to see you again dude but who's the kid?" Yamcha asked.

"You take up babysitting or something?" Krillin followed suit.

"Oh, he's my son." Goku responded while ignoring the look of shock on everyone's faces. "Okay, liked we practiced with mum, say hi now buddy."

Gohan took a bow at first glance of Goku's friends.

"G-good morning." He stuttered. Everyone else followed suit and greeted the boy with no trouble. Bulma and Launch even picked him up and gave him kisses on the cheek.

"He's such a cutie! I guess he gets that from you Goku, huh?" Bulma said while winking. This made Yamcha's blood boil. Bulma was his girlfriend. Well, in his mind at least. He still wanted to forget about the time that they had broken up and wanted to patch things up but she wouldn't have it.

"So what's his name?" asked Krillin.

"Son Gohan, after gramps." Goku answered.

"What a way to honour dear old Gohan there." said Master Roshi. "So have you started training him then?"

"Well... I tried to but ChiChi wants him to have a "normal childhood" so she's banned martial arts from the house."

"Really? That's a waste." Yamcha butted in.

"I'll say. She says that all Gohan needs is to study hard."

Master Roshi couldn't take it in and fell to the floor laughing his head off. To think that the rich princess ChiChi would end up like a "soccer mum".

"So then Gohan, what do you wanna be when you grow up?" asked Bulma.

"I-I wanna be a great scholar." He mumbled. Even at the age of 4, he was very well spoken. Looks like ChiChi had taught him very well indeed.

Goku looked at all of his friends with glee. It was great to see them again after 5 years. Now it was time to show his skills once again and compete in the Strongest Under the Heavens fighting tournament, determined to claim the title of Champion this time!

"We'd better hurry up and register guys, it's about to close." Krillin said as he noticed that the queue had started to die down. It was almost time for the registration to close so everyone signed in all their forms and promptly entered the venue.

Meanwhile, from above the scene, stood a very ominous figure. His skin was as green as emeralds and his eyes were as yellow as the sun. He was wearing a white turban complete with a bulky cape and a blue gi with the symbol "Demon" on the front. He had a mischievous smile across his face. His plan was falling into place and soon he will have his revenge against Goku!

"Pathetic little brat. I've been training my whole life for this moment. Father, I will make sure he suffers!"

At the venue, the gang noticed two very familiar looking faces. One of them was of a medium strong build with no hair and a green gi. An unusual feature he had was another eye in the middle of his forehead. Another one was short with red cheeks and a face like a china doll's and an outfit resembling the Qing Dynasty. They were Tien Shin Han and Chiaotzu, two of Sifu Shen's former students. Tien was currently the Martial Arts Champion and was keen to defend his title.

"Yo, Tien! Chiaotzu! What's up?" Goku shouted from across the room. The two Crane turned and smiled right back.

"Hey there Goku. I see you're back in game then?" Tien asked.

"I sure am." Said Goku. "I'm gonna make sure that I give it my all."

"Excellent. I was also hoping for a rematch. Truth be told, I don't think I actually won last time.

"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure that our fight is uninterrupted."

And with that, Tien's smile started to show. There was no time to dwell on memories though, the preliminaries were about to begin and the gang were determined to show how far their training had taken them. They're in for a rough ride though, as this will be a tournament like nothing they had ever faced!


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Semi-finals: Yamcha vs. Tien

The tournament had taken off without a hitch. As expected, the gang had still managed to maintain their training and were able to fight just like they did years ago. 1 week later and the semi-finals were under way. The first of 3 was about to start: Yamcha and Tienshinhan.

"Ladies and gentleman!" The announcer screamed into the microphone. "Here we have two of the best contestants from years back. They're some of the finest martial artists that Japan and China have to offer. From the Turtle School and the Crane Academy, I give you Yamcha and Tienshinhan!"

The crowd went wild with applause, specifically for Tien who had won the hearts of many following his redemption from the Crane Sensei, Shen. He was confident and desired nothing but to go all out and maintain his place of Champion. Yamcha was determined not to lose this time, for he would finally show Tien that he wasn't a weakling. He turned to him as a brave smile crossed his face.

"What are you so happy about?" Tien asked.

"I'm just excited." Yamcha replied. "Because this day is the day when I beat you and reclaim my dignity!"

"Dignity? Oh right, your leg."

"It was a dirty trick. And I will have my revenge!"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get all over dramatic."

Each fighter took their stance. Yamcha bearing his signature Wolf style while Tien took one of Baguazhang. At that moment, the announcer yelled in his microphone "LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"

Both combatants charged at each other with full force. Though Yamcha tried to make the first hit, this quickly countered with Tien elbowing him in the chest. Yamcha doubled over wheezing, clutching his chest in agony. Trying to ignore his pain, he pushed himself forward at Tien using his deadly Wolf Fang Fist. Tien however, managed to block each punch one by one, focusing his third eye to help him anticipate the attacks. Yamcha's blood started to boil. His attacks were doing nothing to stop his opponent. Tien took advantage of this anger, chuckling with delight.

"Are you even trying to hit me?" He laughed. Yamcha said nothing and instead closed his eyes. Everyone looked confused, even the Dragon Ball gang. Did he have a back up plan?

"What's he up to?" Krillin asked.

"Not sure." Roshi replied.

Goku said nothing. He was eager to see what Yamcha had in store. Gohan's eyes didn't leave the stadium. He hadn't been this excited since his dad took him fishing for the first time. Suddenly, Yamcha opened his eyes and darted at his opponent. Tien just smirked and kept his guard up to his attack. However, in the blink of an eye, he vanished! Tien's face froze with horror.

"Wha-"

Before he could say anything, he was punched straight in the back!

"Ugh! Damn it!" He grunted in humiliation.

Yamcha's face beamed with glee. "What's the matter, can't take a punch?" He laughed.

Tien's face changed from shock to anger. "So you want to play games? Ok, then."

He raised his left arm up and stuck his index finger out. The audience looked on, awaiting to see what the young warrior had in store. A bright light started to form from his hand and in a soft but stern voice, Tien spoke the incantation:

"Dodonpa!"

The light exploded and just like a bullet from a gun, shot straight Yamcha. Within seconds, he found himself lying on the floor. His arm no longer had any feeling to it, just lying there dangling like a sock.

"Heh." He gasped. "Not a bad technique. Still, the fight isn't over yet. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve."

Tien just stayed silent. Striking battle poses, the two men continued the fight. Flurries of punches and kicks spread across the ring, both warriors intending to finish the fight once and for all. Yamcha, however was struggling to keep up. The loss of mobility in his arm prevented him from utilising his true power. Beaten and dazed, he didn't realise that he was almost at the end of the ring! The crowd gasped in horror.

"Just want to let you know, Yamcha, this isn't personal." Tien said. With lighting speed, he struck Yamcha with his palm. To his surprise however, the raven-haired warrior managed to block the attack at close range. With a smirk, Yamcha kicked Tien in the stomach, sending him flying to the center of the ring! He tried to get up but was surprised with a full blown tackle out of nowhere.

"You've sure improved since I last fought you, Yamcha." Tien panted.

"Thanks. I'll make sure that you're only ankle is broken, okay?" Yamcha chuckled.

Tien noticed the overconfidence in his voice. _That pride of his will be his downfall, _he thought to himself. _I can use it against him and that just might secure me a win._ Both warriors charged each other again at full force, fists flying towards each other almost breaking bones. The fight went on for another hour but the crowd were still as energised as ever, screaming and cheering for the match to go on. Yamcha was looking tired while Tien was still as pumped as he was at the start.

"I-I'm ending this now! Get ready!" Yamcha groaned. Standing still, he cupped both of his hands together and took them to his side.

"Ka. Me. Ha. Me." Blue light surrounded his hands and, in a swift move, brought to the center.

"HAAAAA!" The beam shot at Tien at full speed. The three-eyed man, however, dodged it almost immediately! Catching Yamcha by surprise, his third eye began to glow and he shot a yellow energy beam of his own. The beam made contact with Yamcha and the impact flung him across the stadium, hitting the wall!

"Ring out! The winner is Tienshinhan!" The announcer screamed. The crowd went wild as Tien held his hands in a victory celebration. Chiaotzu and Bulma joined along with the cheering while Goku and Krillin just gave a thumbs up. Yamcha managed to get back up to the stadium, massaging his head in embarrassment.

"You know, you actually fought pretty good." Tien said as get gave a thumbs up to his friend.

"Still wasn't able to beat you. Next time, though, you won't be so lucky" grunted the former bandit.

"Be careful of that overconfidence. It will get you killed one day."

"Yeah, yeah." Both friends shook each others' hands and promptly entered the venue inside for a much needed rest.

Back at the venue, everyone was treating themselves to some refreshments. Goku, as usual began stuffing his face, along with little Gohan.

"Goku! You're supposed be setting an example for your son, not to make him act like a pig!" ChiChi whimpered.

"Hey, c'mon!" Goku muffled. "We're hungry and it's been a long day."

"Yeah, mum. This food is really nice." Gohan mumbled.

All ChiChi could do was sigh. _Man, those two, _she thought. Everyone else on the other hand started to laugh. Nothing warmed truer hearts up like Goku acting like a fool.

However, all that was interuppted when a creature in white robes appeared before them. He wore a blue cape and carried a staff. He had wrinkly, green skin and dull yellow eyes. The appearance was enough to make the whole gang scream in terror. Goku, however, just waved.

"Who the hell is that?!" screamed Krillin as he hid behind Roshi.

"D-did Piccolo come back to life?" asked Tien.

"I'll show him! I'll kill him right here, right now! shouted Yamcha as he struck a battle pose. Goku jumped in front of creature, not fazed in the slightest.

"Guys, guys. It's fine. Don't worry." He said. "Everyone, this is Earth's overseer, Kami. Kami, these are my friends."

"Pleasure to meet you." Kami spoke. "Like Goku said, I am Kami; the overseer of the Earth. I am also the true creator of the Dragonballs."

Everyone but Goku was in utter shock at the ordeal. This strange green creature was responsible for creating Earth's great treasure?

"U-uh I'm Krillin." Krillin stuttered nervously. "S-so what brings you t-to this tournament then, uh, sir?"

Kami's face turned to despair. "I'm afraid that dark times are beginning to unfold. I hear the cries of the universe as shooting stars will one day pierce this world. I see destruction as the spawn of a demon will be unleashed."

"Uh, what?" Chiaotzu said, dumbfounded.

Kami merely sighed. "Piccolo has spawned his final son. And he is looking for vengeance."


End file.
